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'End Uddhav Thackeray's goondaism...': Navneet Rana's message for Amit Shah
Maharashtra news: Amravati MP Navneet Rana's message came after Shiv Sena workers vandalised a Pune office belonging to one of the rebels - Tanaji Sawant.
Navneet Rana, the independent MP from Maharashtra's Amravati, on Saturday asked union home minister Amit Shah to provide security for the families of MLAs who have followed Eknath Shinde in rebelling against the Shiv Sena and the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi. She also appealed to the home minister to 'end (chief minister) Uddhav Thackeray's goondaism'.
Rana - who made headlines in April after she and her husband, MLA Ravi Rana, were arrested in the ruckus amid plans to recite the Hanuman Chalisa in front of Matoshree, the Thackeray family home - also asked for President's Rule.
"I request Amit Shah to provide security to families of MLAs who are leaving Uddhav Thackeray and making their own decisions... staying connected with Balasaheb's ideology. Uddhav Thackeray's goondaism should be ended... I request for President's Rule in the state."
Rana's message came after Shiv Sena workers vandalised a Pune office belonging to one of the rebels - Tanaji Sawant.
The attack was confirmed by the Sena's Pune head Sanjay More, who was quoted by ANI as saying: "Our party workers vandalised Tanaji Sawant's office. All traitors and rebel MLAs who have troubled our chief, Uddhav Thackeray will face this type of action. Their office will also be attacked. No one will be spared."
READ: 'No one will be spared…': Sainiks vandalise rebel MLA's Pune office
Mumbai Police has since placed its forces on high alert and has also directed all police stations to ensure security at all political offices in the city of Mumbai.
Rana's message also came hours after Shinde shared a letter addressed to Thackeray and Maharashtra home minister Dilip Walse-Patil, accusing them of the 'malicious withdrawal of security of family members' of the rebel MLAs.
READ: Shinde claims rebel's families' security removed as 'revenge'
Shinde said 'security provided to us at our residence... as sitting MLAs... had been 'illegally and unlawfully withdrawn', and that he would hold Uddhav Thackeray and other top leaders responsible for any attacks.
The Maharashtra government swiftly denied issuing any such order.
"Neither the chief minister nor the home department has ordered the withdrawal of security of any MLA," Walse-Patil said.
Eknath Shinde and 38 Sena MLAs, as well as nine independent lawmakers, are camped out at a luxury hotel in Guwahati in BJP-ruled Assam.
Uddhav Thackeray is left with 16 MLAs as he fights to hold off a potential no-confidence vote and bring the rebels back into the fold.
On Friday the chief minister delivered back-to-back appeals to the rebels, first calling them 'my people' and then 'traitors who backstabbed' him.
On Saturday, after a meeting of his party's national executive, Thackeray slammed the Shinde faction's decision to call themselves Shiv Sena (Balasaheb).
READ: Do whatever you want but don't use Balasaheb's name: Uddhav
Meanwhile, sources told ANI Shinde plans to hold a meeting in Guwahati with his rebel MLAs this evening to plan a future course of action.
With input from ANI
